INFANS · Project

Better Brain Monitoring for Newborns to Prevent Lifelong Disabilities

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Right now, doctors have very limited ways to check if a newborn's brain is working properly after a difficult birth. Imagine trying to diagnose a car engine problem but only being able to listen from outside — that's roughly where neonatal brain monitoring stands today. INFANS combined two sensing technologies (brain wave recording and infrared light scanning) into one portable system that gives doctors a much clearer picture of what's happening inside a baby's brain. The goal is to catch problems early enough that treatment can prevent cognitive or motor disabilities later in life.

By the numbers

Early Stage Researchers trained in neonatal brain monitoring

consortium partners across academia and industry

EU countries involved in clinical validation

industrial partners contributing to device development

total project deliverables produced

The business problem

What needed solving

Newborn brain injuries during birth often go undetected because current hospital monitoring tools cannot reliably assess brain function in real time. Late detection means missed treatment windows, leading to lifelong neurological, cognitive, or motor disabilities — a massive cost to healthcare systems and families. There is a severe shortage of clinically viable, high-quality brain monitoring tools designed specifically for neonates.

The solution

What was built

The project built an integrated EEG-NIRS brain monitoring demonstrator designed for neonatal use in clinical settings. Across 20 deliverables, the team produced hardware prototypes combining electrical brain wave measurement with near-infrared light sensing, along with the signal processing methods to interpret the combined data.

Audience

Who needs this

Neonatal monitoring device manufacturers looking to add brain function assessment to their product lineHospital networks and NICU operators seeking better tools to detect brain injury in newbornsBiomedical signal processing companies wanting to enter the neonatal neurology marketHealth insurance companies interested in early detection tools that reduce long-term disability costsPediatric neurology clinics needing portable, non-invasive brain monitoring for infants

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Medical device manufacturing

mid-size

Target: Companies producing neonatal monitoring equipment or EEG devices

If you are a medical device manufacturer struggling to offer combined brain monitoring for NICUs — this project developed an integrated EEG-NIRS monitoring platform with clinical validation across 6 EU countries and 10 consortium partners. The demonstrator system was built with 4 industrial partners involved in development. This could extend your neonatal product line into functional brain assessment, a segment with very few competitors.

Hospital networks and neonatal care

enterprise

Target: Hospital groups operating neonatal intensive care units (NICUs)

If you run NICUs and face high rates of undetected brain injury in newborns — this project built a clinically viable monitoring system that combines electrical and optical brain sensing. With validation across multiple clinical institutions in 6 countries, the platform aims to reduce the number of children developing neurological or motor dysfunctions from birth-related brain injuries. Early detection means earlier intervention and better outcomes for your patients.

Biomedical signal processing software

SME

Target: Companies developing clinical decision support or neuroimaging software

If you are a software company serving the clinical neurology market — INFANS produced 20 deliverables including algorithms and data processing methods for combined EEG and near-infrared spectroscopy signals in neonates. With 15 trained researchers generating new IP and methods, there is a pipeline of licensable signal processing technology. The 4 SME partners in the consortium signal proven commercial interest in this space.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would it cost to license or adopt this technology?

The project was funded as an MSCA training network, so pricing for the monitoring platform is not publicly available. With 4 industrial partners and 4 SMEs in the consortium, licensing or co-development arrangements would need to be negotiated directly with the coordinator at Technische Universität Ilmenau or the relevant industry partner.

Can this scale to industrial production?

The project produced a demonstrator (INFANS Demonstrator) validated with input from 4 industrial partners across 6 EU countries. Moving from demonstrator to mass production would require further engineering and regulatory clearance. The 40% industry ratio in the consortium suggests commercial manufacturing was considered from the start.

What is the IP situation — can we license this?

IP generated by 15 ESRs across 10 partner institutions in 6 countries means ownership is likely shared under the consortium agreement. Interested companies should contact the coordinator (Technische Universität Ilmenau, Germany) to discuss licensing terms for specific components — EEG hardware, NIRS sensors, or the combined signal processing software.

Does this meet medical device regulations?

The project objective explicitly mentions developing a 'clinically-viable' system, indicating regulatory compliance was a design goal. However, as a research and training project (MSCA-ITN), full CE marking or FDA clearance would still need to be pursued for commercial deployment. Clinical validation was performed but regulatory filings are not confirmed in the available data.

How soon could this be deployed in a hospital?

The project closed in December 2023 with a working demonstrator. Based on available project data, the technology would likely need 2-3 more years of regulatory work and clinical trials before hospital-wide deployment. The 4 industry partners may already be pursuing commercialization of specific components.

How does this integrate with existing NICU equipment?

The system combines EEG (electroencephalography) and NIRS (near-infrared spectroscopy) into one platform, which is designed to be accessible worldwide. Based on available project data, integration specifics with existing NICU monitoring systems would need to be discussed with the development partners.

Consortium

Who built it

The INFANS consortium brings together 10 partners from 6 countries (Belgium, Germany, Finland, Iceland, Italy, Netherlands), with a strong 40% industry ratio — 4 of the 10 partners are from industry, and all 4 are SMEs. This is significant because it means smaller, agile companies were directly involved in building the technology, not just large institutions doing theoretical work. The coordinator is Technische Universität Ilmenau in Germany, a university with strong biomedical engineering credentials. The mix of 6 academic and 4 non-academic partners, combined with the training of 15 PhD researchers, means there is now a pipeline of skilled people who understand both the science and the commercial side of neonatal monitoring.

TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITAET ILMENAUCoordinator · DE
EEMAGINE MEDICAL IMAGING SOLUTIONSGMBHparticipant · DE
HELSINGIN YLIOPISTOparticipant · FI
UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI GABRIELE D'ANNUNZIO DI CHIETI-PESCARAparticipant · IT
UNIVERSITAIR MEDISCH CENTRUM UTRECHTparticipant · NL
ARTINIS MEDICAL SYSTEMS BVparticipant · NL
KATHOLIEKE UNIVERSITEIT LEUVENparticipant · BE
HASKOLI ISLANDSpartner · IS

How to reach the team

Technische Universität Ilmenau (Germany) — contact via university's biomedical engineering department

Order a report on this consortium See TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITAET ILMENAU profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want an introduction to the INFANS team or a detailed technology brief? Contact SciTransfer — we connect businesses with EU research teams.

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